New Delhi: Although the Congress has released its first list of candidates for the upcoming UP elections, this may have an adverse effect on its plans to form an alliance with the Rashtriya Lok Dal Party (RLD).

The list of candidates announced for the UP Assembly polls in western Uttar Pradesh constituencies like Shamli, Atrauli, and Kole have put the Congress’ alliance with the RLD at stake.

Speaking with Dainik Jagran, RLD chief Ajit Singh ruled out the party’s merger with the Congress. However, Singh said he had held preliminary talks with the Congress for an alliance ahead of the 2012 Assembly elections.

“It was the Congress which had put forward the suggestion of the poll alliance with us. Now that the party had released its first list of candidates, the RLD will fight elections from the constituencies where it has a stronghold,” he said.

“The party is working on the selection procedure and short listing of the candidates,” he added. According to sources, the RLD has not taken the unilateral declaration by the Congress in a good spirit.

The RLD believes that the Congress should have consulted it before releasing the first list of candidates. On the contrary, the Congress in its first list has declared candidates for those 16 seats in western Uttar Pradesh where RLD has a strong base.